


It's Complicated

by CourtHart18



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), M/M, Multi, Rivals to Friends to Lovers, Swearing, Ultimate Hope Hinata Hajime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29310591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtHart18/pseuds/CourtHart18
Summary: Since the beginning of attending Hope's Peak High School, Kazuichi Souda, the ultimate mechanic, has had his eyes on the ultimate princess, Sonia Nevermind. However, things start to change and Kazuichi realizes he actually has his eyes on the ultimate breeder, Gundham Tanaka. As fine and swell as this is, there are two problems: one, they were basically rivals, and two, Gundham actually liked the princess. So there's nothing the mechanic can do, right?
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko/Pekoyama Peko, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Soda Kazuichi & Tanaka Gundham, Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham, Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham (One-sided)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 106





	1. That's not true, right?

**Author's Note:**

> This is like my very first fanfiction ever, so I'm sorry if I mess anything up!  
> I hope you guys enjoy reading it!

Hope's Peak Academy, one of the most elite schools in all of Japan. Students known as ultimates are chosen to attend, making them set for life in their respective talent. One of the students attending this elite school is Kazuichi Souda, the ultimate mechanic.

Kazuichi isn't someone you'd put under the label of normal due to his hot pink hair, pink eyes, and sharp teeth. Then again, being different is the norm at the school he attends, so he doesn't feel like as much as an outcast as he had before.

Kazuichi was a second year at this academy, meaning he had established a comfortable form of living, friend group, etc. One thing that hasn't changed from day one, however, was his affections for the ultimate princess, Sonia Nevermind.

Sonia was a beautiful girl will long, blonde hair and grey eyes. She dazzled every room she went into and always had a regal smile on her face. She was perfect in Kazuichi's eyes.

In all honesty, Sonia wasn't a perfect human being; this was only the opinion of the ultimate mechanic. And, since he had believed this for so long, he thought that she was the only one he would date in the entire school (crazy, right?). Kazuichi would always make an effort to greet her, give her small gifts (that he made), converse with her, and invite her to most daily activities (like eating lunch, nothing too drastic). He even made it a point to call her Miss Sonia - a formal nickname for a formal person, he supposed. But, no matter how much the pink-haired male tried, Sonia never gave in, so of course this made him try harder. Yet, despite how much he tried, there was always one other thing in his way, and that was Gundham Tanaka.

Gundham Tanaka, the ultimate breeder, the "Supreme Overlord of Ice" is another person you wouldn't call normal. The guy dressed in a long, flowing black jacket, wore dark-clad clothes, and always had a purple scarf around his neck. His hair was black with grey highlights, his eyes were two different colors - crimson on the right and grey on the left - and he possessed a scar over his right eye. On top of being the ultimate breeder, Gundham was into the occult and the dark arts - something that scared Kazuichi out of his wits. The breeder was strange in a way, but labels don't stop friendships from forming.

With that said, Gundham and Sonia connected almost instantly. Sonia - though Kazuichi denied it with every inch of his being - shared the same love for the occult that Gundham did, so of course they clicked. Wherever the princess was, the breeder followed, and Kazuichi hated it. Not to say that he hated Gundham, he just hated not having the attention of the princess.

The obvious competition had Kazuichi dub him and Gundham "love rivals" fighting for the princess' love. Every day repeated the same pattern: the mechanic would attempt to flirt with the princess, the breeder would intervene, and they would fight. They would scream harsh words and call each other names (some, well, most broken up by the princess herself). Kazuichi grew tired of the fighting, but he continued with it because it was all for the sake of the princess.

Right?

\--------------------------

Another day, another fight, but this time it was issued by the breeder. The fight was so meaningless and petty, and, upon recognizing this, Kazuichi simply walked away. He had given up talking back, there was no winning. He didn't even hate Gundham, like at all. The only thing Souda hated was the attention he got from Miss Sonia.

Or, that's what he told himself.

He really only kept it up to see the dark-clad teen, nothing more. However, this is a fact that he'd never admit for two reasons. For one, everyone was convinced of the rivalry, and two, Tanaka hated him. So, he kept his mouth shut and continued the cycle.

Kauichi sat with his best friends, Hajime Hinata, the ultimate hope, and Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, the ultimate yakuza. It was around noon and the class was given a break for lunch, so that's exactly why the boys sat in the dining hall. There was quiet for the moment - a thing very rare with the three - until Hajime took notice to Souda's wondering eyes. Slowly following the field of vision, he saw the princess and breeder sitting together, pleasantly chatting. Hajime sighed a long, tired sigh.

"Dude, when are you gonna let off of Sonia? It's been forever of the same thing." With that, Kazuichi's eyes darted to the man sitting in front of him, a light blush colonizing his face.

"What do you mean Sonia?" He asked not thinking through his words.

"Who the fuck else would he be talking about, dishit? Tanaka?" Fuyuhiko added with a harsh tone.

Quiet followed that statement. Kazuichi's blush reddened.

"No." A blatant lie on Kazuichi's end.

"Really, your blush says otherwise." Hajime now looked unimpressed. The mechanic was a terrible liar, and Hajime being his soul friend knew this very well.

"W-well be-cause it's embarrassing!" Kazuichi tried to convince himself, "Y-yeah, so embarrassing that my face is red!" Souda internally cringed at how bad the lie was.

"Save it, highlighter. Your sad attempt at a lie isn't convincing." Fuyuhiko said, holding a hand to Kazuichi's face. The mechanic's face dropped as he sighed, thinking of what to say next.

"Guys come on, I really don't like him that way," he said, "we always argue, over a girl I might add, and never have anything nice to say to each other."

"Is that really what you're telling yourself?"

"Why would I lie to myself out of all people?"

"I don't know, maybe because you've put on this charade for so long that-"

"That's enough Kuzuryu." Hajime stated sternly, shutting the yakuza up. Hajime then turned to the pink haired male. "If you don't want to tell us, then don't, but just stop all the nonsense with Sonia, okay?"

Before Kazuichi could retaliate, the bell for the next class rang and lunch was over. The mechanic gathered his stuff and said goodbye to his friends, heading off to the labs. He wasn't lying to them or himself either, he really didn't like Gundham that way. They were so very different from each other that it would never happen.

But is that really what he thought?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to update this story regularly. I will also be posting this on Wattpad under the same username, @CourtHart18.


	2. Questioning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know this is a little soon, but you gotta take advantage of your free time, am I right?  
> Also, thank you for the positive feedback, it is really appreciated.

Kazuichi took a seat at his personally assigned workbench in the technology lab. He really liked having his own space after working in a bike shop with his dad for so long. The lab offered everything Souda could dream of and he loved it. Another thing he loved is the fact that his work served as a distraction from his thoughts, which is good at a time like this when he’s absolutely confused as to what he wanted.

Sure, Kazuichi was bisexual. He knew that, his friends knew that, his dad knew that (even though he didn’t like), but that wasn’t the issue. He was confident with how he identified and what genders he like, so no, that isn’t the problem. The problem is who he likes. He was so sure that it was Miss Sonia, the beautiful princess from Novoselic, but now he wasn’t sure, and that bothered him. Thankfully, he had a project to finish, so it left him no time to further investigate his feelings.

The mechanic was now fully concentrated at the task at hand. He had his headphones on and hair tie back, and of course wearing the proper protection when it came to assembling pieces of metal. The thoughts of Sonia and Gundham were long since forgotten, and Souda was working in peace. 

It was nice to not think about anything except for machines. He didn’t have to worry about school, friends, or all the other crap associated with everyday life. This could be a problem at times, though, because it kept Kazuichi up late at night working. Unfortunately, tonight was one of those times with the 10 o’clock nighttime announcement disturbing his workflow. Kazuichi cursed at himself for getting carried away before packing up his stuff and heading toward his dorm room. He didn’t mind working late, but he did mind missing dinner. But, since this was a regular occurrence, Souda always had snacks in his room that he could munch on instead. It wasn’t the healthiest option, but it would suffice.

After having “dinner” and getting cleaned up, Kazuichi flopped on his bed, ready for sleep to overcome him; his thoughts had other plans for him though.

No matter how much he tossed and turned and got comfortable, Kazuichi couldn’t stop thinking about his feelings. Did he really like Sonia? Well of course he did, he had done so much for her that it would be stupid to deny it. But he did that because of his affections or because he was trying to convince himself? No, that can’t be it, that’s far from it. But what about Gundham? How did the mechanic feel about him?

Kazuichi thought back to what the yakuza had said earlier that day. Was he really putting on a charade for everyone? Was that really what he was accomplishing?

It’s safe to say that Kazuichi didn’t get to sleep until much later that night.

\--------------------------

The horrid buzzing from Kazuichi’s alarm clock woke the boy from his slumber. School didn’t care how much sleep he got, so he started to get ready for the long day ahead of him. The world was blurry for him, but he had become used to it by now; he knew the way to the bathroom. Kazuichi then put in his pink contacts, correcting his vision, and changed into his blue jumpsuit. After he had put on his beanie, Souda left for the cafeteria to get breakfast.  
No one he knew had arrived for the first meal of the day, so he decided to sit alone. The peace and quiet was not welcome though since his thoughts still lingered from the night before. He finished up his meal and headed for the classroom, sitting at his seat in the front and resting his head in his hands. He really didn’t want to be here today, he wished he got more sleep. He also wished that he could get these thoughts out of his head. They were so confusing and incorrect; Souda liked the princess.

…Right?

Souda was so lost in his own mind that he didn’t even notice Hajime approaching his desk.  
“Good morning Souda,” Hinata greeted, “we missed you at breakfast this morning.” Kazuichi looked up at the ultimate hope, seeing the concern in his eyes.

“Ah, yeah, sorry about that. I guess I got ready faster than I realized.” He gave a tired smile towards his soul friend, and the boy returned it.

“You look like shit, you okay?” Fuyuhiko joined in the conversation with his colorful choice of words.

“There is probably no need to worry, Kuzuryu. Besides, Souda is one of the many symbols of hope for this world, so whatever it was must surely be important.” Nagito Komaeda, the ultimate lucky student, added. Nagito was a good guy who meant well, but he could be a little crazy with the hope-talk. 

“I’m fine you guys. And no, it wasn’t anything important; I was just worried about my latest project is all.” Souda flashed a smile.

“Wonderful, all for the sake of hope I see.” Nagito’s smile grew wider as Hajime tried to stop the boy from getting carried away. Souda gave a small chuckle and turned his attention to the front of the classroom where his teacher Ms. Yukizome stood. Her presence ushered the boys to get to their seats, thus leaving Souda alone. And with the start of class, Souda tried his best not to think about his affections.

\--------------------------

This continued for a few days. Kazuichi would occasionally zone out during class, lost in his head, and even catch glimpses of Tanaka. It never got too out of hand, of course, but the constant zoning out left his friends worried. He reassured them that nothing was amiss and that it was all because of his work, but that clearly wasn’t the case. He hated lying to him, but he wanted to be sure himself before discussing feelings with his friends. 

Souda’s contemplation had taken up so much of his time that he never engaged with the princess aside from greetings, and he seldom got into an argument with Gundham. When they would fight, Souda just walked away, unconcerned with the issue brought up. He figured that they didn’t mean anything in the long run, so he gave up trying. Of course, this reaction left the breeder taken aback every time, but Souda paid no mind to it. Eventually, the fighting ceased, and the air became less tense, though Souda missed the interaction he got with the breeder. 

Maybe Souda could try to become friends with the breeder, and maybe even Miss Sonia. But that would be ridiculous; how could either of them ever like him for what he had done in the past? Was it worth anything? Did he really like Sonia that way?

Or was he actually considering the possibility that it was all for Tanaka?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that the pacing is slow, but I promise it picks up next chapter :)


	3. Unexpected realizations

It was a Saturday afternoon when Kazuichi was running out of Hope’s Peak. The mechanic needed a few more pieces for his project, so he needed to go to town. But he had also checked the weather before he left since the sky was dark at the moment anyway. He discovered that it would be raining soon, and not having an umbrella, he dashed to town as quickly as he could to finish his errand. 

The trip wasn’t a long one, only a 15 minute walk to his destination. He reached the oh-so familiar shop and perused the aisles for the parts he required. Once he located all the items he needed, he headed towards the front to pay. He and the shop owner had become acquainted over the years that Kazuichi attended the academy, so the owner usually gave him a pretty good discount.

Thanking the shop owner, Souda left with a bag in hand, happy he had beaten the rain. The mechanic took his phone from his pocket to check the time, estimating when he would arrivr at the high school. At that very moment, a droplet of water fell onto the illuminated screen.

Kazuichi really hated how unlucky he was.

Not wanting to accidentally drop anything or injure himself, Kazuichi sped up to a faster walking pace. He really did not want to be stuck in the rain. He had no time to change out of wet clothes and pause his productivity. 

The drops became more frequent and the skies darker, Kazuichi’s walk quickening it with it. Eventually, the rain became a downpour, and the mechanic could say goodbye to his warm, dry clothes. Bringing the bad closer to him, Kazuichi broke out into a run, which in hindsight wasn’t the smartest idea given the soaked sidewalk, but it was the quickest way back without getting sick. He hunched over protecting the metal, the rain obscuring his vision. He really had to get to the academy quickly; the weather was awful. 

Kazuichi kept running until he approached his destination. However, with his vision blurred by the rain, Souda did not see the person in his path. He kept running and getting closer to the figure. And, you can probably guess what happened next.

He fell, and he fell hard.

Kazuichi ended up on the wet sidewalk, parts scattered everywhere. His clothes were soaked and his hair like a wet mop. He cursed himself for his clumsiness, moving to pick up the items he had purchased. Yet, the person stood there, watching. Souda had never looked up to see who it was, so it was a mystery as to why they were still there. Once he had finished gathering his stuff, he turned his attention to the person in front of him.

“Hey, I’m really sorry for bumping into ya, I was-” Kazuichi stopped in his tracks when he saw who he had bumped into.

It was Gundham Tanaka.  
“Are you alright, mortal?” The breeder asked, the concern clear on his face. 

Gundham was smart in this situation, unlike Kazuichi, having brought an umbrella and a raincoat. He looked to be out for nothing in particular, but Souda was glad to see him. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

Suddenly, Tanaka stuck out his hand to Kazuichi, offering him help from his position on the concrete. The action held no malice or mockery; it was slow and gentle, expressing kindness. This was a side of Gundham he had never seen, and he really appreciated it.

Upon taking his hand, Kazuichi Souda made a very big revelation.

Maybe he didn’t like Sonia.

\--------------------------

The two boys walked in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the rain (and each other’s company). It wasn’t long before Gundham broke the tranquility.

“So, what brings you outside of the realm of learning on a treacherous day like this, Tamer of Automations?” Gundham asked out of curiosity.

“I should be asking you the same thing.” Kazuichi shot back calmly, keeping his eyes ahead of him. When he didn’t receive a reply, he looked at Gundham, who was giving him a look of expecting an answer. So, that’s what Kazuichi did. “I needed to get a few more parts to finish up a machine I’m building. I did check the forecast before leaving, but I thought I could beat it.”

“What is this machine you speak of?” Gundham asked, showing interest in the topic.

“Oh! Well, Owada asked me to make him a new engine for his motorcycle since the current engine is old and busted up,” he began, “I didn’t want to make him an exact replica, so I modified it a little bit. That’s why it’s taken me a little longer than expected, but I don’t mind; this will count as one of many projects for my final grade.”

Gundham gave a small hum and nodded, his question having been answered to its entirety.

“Ya never answered my question though. Why are you out here? The weather is so crappy” Kazuichi asked, keeping his gaze on the breeder. 

“I was aware of the storm approaching, but I still wished to take a walk, hence why I have brought an umbrella.” Gundham gestured toward the item keeping the two dry. However, he was not finished speaking, “I have had a lot on my mind recently, so I thought a walk would aid my quarrels.”

“Ah, I see.” Souda said, turning back to the path ahead of him. Silence overcame the duo once more. Neither had much to say to the other given that they really hadn’t taken the time to have a formal conversation. So, in a sense, this was new, and they were trying to learn how to navigate it. Once again, it was Gundham who broke the silence.

“Say, I have another question for you, pink-haired one,” he inquired, “why is it that recently you have not paid any mind to the She-cat and myself?” Souda snapped his neck back to Tanaka, surprised by the question given to him. It even made him blush a little.

“Y-you noticed that?” He asked sheepishly, and in return the breeder nodded. “W-well, let’s just say you weren’t the only one with a lot on their mind.” The mechanic grinned and scratched the back of his neck. “To be honest, I didn’t even realize I was doing it either. It kind of just happened.”

“And you are not affected by the lack of attention you have given Lady Sonia?” Tanaka asked, the surprise apparent in his voice.

“Nah, I didn’t really like her that way anywa-” Souda stopped himself. This was something he himself hadn’t realized yet, and here he was telling Gundham Tanaka. The smile left his face and was replaced with a look of shock. This was not only because of the statement he had spoken, but also because he had to do something very important.

He had to apologize to Sonia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if I messed up Gundham's speech, it's a little difficult. But I was excited to get this chapter out, so I hope you guys enjoyed it!


	4. A long-awaited apology

“Tanaka, we need to get back as soon as possible!” Kazuichi declared, quickening his pace. Gundham, not wanting the mechanic to get any more soaked, followed suit, trying to catch up.

“Why the sudden urgency, mortal?” Tanaka asked, clearly confused about what the mechanic had to accomplish.

“I have to apologize to Sonia, like, right now.” He spoke, his walk becoming a jog. The rain continued to fall rapidly, but Souda didn’t care. He had to apologize to Sonia about everything he put her through; it was unfair to be harassed for no reason at all. He was also upset that it took him this long to realize; his friends had been telling him for ages that it meant nothing, and now here he was making that realization in his second year of attending the academy.

“And do tell why you are realizing this now- wait, Sonia? You have never called the princess solely by her name.” Gundham remarked, having caught up with the other quite easily.

“That doesn’t matter right now. We gotta find Sonia, that’s the priority.” Souda stated harshly. He didn’t care if he dropped the stupid title he had given her, he just wanted to find her and apologize.

\--------------------------

After a few minutes (but what felt like hours because of the storm), the boys had made it back inside the halls of Hope’s Peak. In all honesty, Kazuichi didn’t know where to go from there because he did not know what the princess did in her free time. She could be in her dorm, but she could also be socializing with her peers. Kazuichi was growing frustrated, wishing he had learned more about her interests. Luckily, he was with Sonia’s closest friend.

“Tanaka,” Souda called the attention of the breeder, “where would Sonia be right now?” Gundham took a minute to think through his answer before responding.

“She would most likely be residing in the realm of literature at this particular point in time.” 

“So the library, yes?”

“That is correct, mortal.”

“Alright then, let’s go.”

The two started to walk the direction of the library, hoping to encounter the princess. To their luck, Sonia was waiting in the hall just outside, preparing to enter.

“Sonia!” The mechanic called out. “Sonia wait, I need to talk to ya, it’s important!” Souda ran toward the princess, stopping directly in front of her. He gasped for air even though the distance was short. He really needed to work on his cardio.

Having her name called, Sonia turned in the direction of the voice. When she noticed that it was Kazuichi, however, she frowned and looked disinterested.

“Souda, if this is another confession, I do not-” She began, but the mechanic swiftly cut her off.

“It’s not. I promise, it’s not. Look, I just want to talk, privately, okay?” Kazuichi gave her a pleading look, hoping she wouldn’t tear into him. The princess stared at Souda, wondering if she could take his words seriously or not. Deciding that he meant well, she nodded.

“Fine. Follow me then; we shall find a seat in the library.” She turned back to the library, leading the way. Just before she went in, however, she looked at Gundham and said, “I will see you later, Gundham. Have a pleasant afternoon."

And with that, the breeder left and the mechanic and princess made their way into the library.

\--------------------------

“So, what did you wish to speak to me about?” The princess asked, expecting a serious answer.

The two of them sat at a table near the back of the library. The area was secluded, far from any prying eyes or ears. The air was awkward since the two of them never interacted this seriously. Kazuichi knew he had to answer her question, so he took a deep breath and began to speak.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry about every gift, every inappropriate gesture, every failed confession. I’m sorry for weirding you out and making ya feel uncomfortable. You didn’t deserve any of the negative feelings I made you feel when I was around. I was unfair and didn’t think about how it would affect ya. This apology is long overdue, I should’ve done this sooner. But um, yeah, I’m really sorry”

Kazuichi finally finished his rant after spewing a long list of apologies. He had begun his apology by facing the girl, but his gaze now fell on his hands on the table. He was fiddling with his fingers nervously, scared to face the princess. He knew he had to, so that’s what he did, and he was so surprised to see the expression on her face.

She looked utterly shocked, her mouth agape. She was expecting something, but wasn’t anticipating this. She tried to formulate words, but nothing came. She looked away from the boy sitting in front of her, contemplating what to say next. She held her chin with her fingers, looking as elegant as usual. The two sat in silence for what felt like hours until finally Sonia spoke up.

“Well,” she began, “I did not anticipate an apology for you, but I guess it makes sense. You have been less pushy as of recently, which I appreciate immensely. I also noticed that you had dropped the “miss” before my name, an action I found highly unusual at the time. I cannot say that I fully accept your apology, but your actions are a start to mending our relationship. In the future, I do wish to be your friend, but that will take more time. I must thank you for what you have done so far, for it has made me feel more at ease.” Sonia smiled the first true, genuine smile Kazuichi had seen from her for a while. And, well, he smiled back. He was happy that he had made her feel better by apologizing and laying off the attention. He really didn’t mean any harm, so he was glad he was showing that to her now.

With their meeting over, the two said their goodbyes and parted ways. Souda left the library feeling like a weight was lifted off his chest. He really needed to do that, for her sake and his. He knew it would take time before everything was good between them, but he didn’t mind; he would wait as long as she needed. 

He was happy that one less thing occupied his mind, but now all of his attention was focused on an occult-loving breeder:

Gundham Tanaka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a liiitle shorter than others, but I really just wanted this chapter to be an apology to Sonia (and as much as I love Kazuichi, Sonia deserves it).


	5. Good moods and bonding time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting this chapter out a bit later out than I anticipated, but it has been finished! Enjoy!

The weekend came and went, and Kazuichi continued to fulfill Sonia’s wishes. There was little interaction between the two, but it was not unwelcome, just necessary. And Souda’s and Tanaka’s fights drew to a close as well, but nothing was really done to begin a proper friendship either. Still, Kazuichi felt good about himself, more lighter after his apology. He finished the engine for Mondo just after his meet up with the princess, which the biker was extremely grateful for. Overall, the weekend was a success for the mechanic.

On the following Monday, Kazuichi woke up to his alarm clock feeling more lively than usual. He did not have to rush to get ready having awoken to his first alarm clock. Once ready, he gathered his school bag and headed towards the cafeteria.

Upon arrival, Souda saw his friends Chiaki, Hajime, Fuyuhiko, Nagito, and Peko all seated together. The ultimate gamer was struggling to keep her eyes open while Hinata tried to keep her awake and get Nagito to eat his bagel. Peko and Fuyuhiko mainly seemed absorbed in their own conversation only occasionally speaking with the other three. With a pep in his step, Kazuichi made his way to the table.

“Good morning everyone!” The mechanic greeted with a wide smile on his face. He set his stuff next to him on the floor and took a seat next to Nanami.

“Hello Souda.” She said sleepily with a small smile on her face before turning back to her game.

“Someone’s in a good mood.” Hinata chimed in, eyebrows raised as if asking a nonverbal question.

“Yeah, what the fuck is up with you,” Kuzuryu said, “you were quiet all goddamn week last week, so what happened?” Kazuichi forgot that he had not told his friends about his dilemma, so he figured they deserved an explanation.

He told him that the stress from a project was a lie, though the project itself was not. He told them about how he thought Gundham was now catching his attention instead of Sonia, which of course was quite confusing for the mechanic since the two always fought. He told them how after going into town on Saturday and running into the breeder was all he needed to figure out that his feelings were not for the princess after all, but the breeder all along. He told them that he realized how shitty he was behaving with Sonia, deciding to apologize to the girl. He told them how he quickly met up with Sonia shortly after and apologized, and how both agreed to some space. He told them that the apology along with finishing the engine raised his mood, bringing them up to date. 

“Wow,” Hajime spoke up, “no wonder why you’re in a good mood. Also, I’m glad that you finally apologized to Sonia.”

“Yeah, fucking finally.” Fuyuhiko scoffed.

“I know I should’ve done it a lot sooner, but better late than never, right?” Souda said, shrugging his shoulders. 

“And not one of our attempts to get you to apologize ever worked, huh?” Hajime said teasingly. That comment earned an eye roll from the mechanic, but a comment from Komaeda.

“Wow Hajime, discrediting Souda’s apology? Not cool.” The lucky student said, shaking his head. With that, the ultimate hope turned his attention to the white-haired boy.

“Hey! I’m not-”

“Hold the fuck on, so you do like Tanaka?!” Kuzuryu said, finally processing the second piece of information Kazuichi had given them. His mouth was agape and eyes like saucers.

“Well I mean yeah, that is wha-” Souda began, but he was swiftly cut off by the yakuza.

“I. FUCKING. CALLED IT. HOLY SHIT.” Fuyuhiko screamed, earning him stares from everyone else in the vicinity. He screamed and pointed at the mechanic, leaving the latter of the two embarrassed and startled. All it took to shut the small teen up, however, was Peko’s hand resting on his shoulder and a shake of her head. Souda was thankful for the swordswoman being so close to the yakuza. 

The conversation diverted from Souda’s confession to more menial topics until the bell rang. The six students gathered their stuff and made their way to class, continuing whatever conversation they were having at the moment. 

Once Ms. Yukizome entered the classroom, all the students took their seats. Their teacher looked more excited than usual, which didn’t always something good.

“Good morning class,” she greeted, “today will be a little different from regular lesson plans. Your classmate, Nekomaru, recommended that the class participate in a game of dodgeball in the gym!” So that’s why she was in a good mood. She enjoyed her class spending time together since that’s how she met her best friends. Souda was glad that it wasn’t something outrageous like a group project (another thing she loved her students to participate in so they could get to know each other better), but he was still nervous for what was to come. Even though Nekomaru was the ultimate team manager, he was still a little intense, so who knows what would happen.

Taking his introduction as his queue to explain the activity, Nekomaru stepped up to the front of the class.

“LISTEN UP,” he yelled, “this is going to be a friendly game of dodgeball! I have split the class up into two team based on skill level: Tanaka, Hanamura, Sonia, Pekoyama, Komaeda, Nanami, and Mioda on one team; and Hinata, Souda, Akane, Tsumiki, Kuzuryu, Koizumi, and Saionji on the opposite team. Because Mitarai is absent, I have decided to play the role of referee in case anything gets too rough.”

After Nidai explained the rules, the class headed towards the gym to change and play a friendly game of dodgeball.

\--------------------------

Once changed, the teams gathered on opposite ends of the gym and prepared to play. Nidai set the balls in the middle and blew the whistle when he was off the playing field. The gym was in chaos from there.

Akane, being the competitive gal she is, quickly grabbed as many balls as she could and began throwing them in every direction. On the opposite team, Peko and Gundham were furiously dodging and, by some miracle, Nagito was never hit despite never moving a muscle. Unfortunately, Teruteru and Chiaki were not able to escape the gymnast’s fury. Ibuki and Sonia, on the other hand, did, and banded together to try and take down Owari. 

Mikan had managed to grab a ball and get a hit in, but began apologizing profusely afterward. Noticing her fit of apologies, Hiyoko berated her with insults, earning a scolding from Mahiru. Seeing an opportunity, Sonia aimed at the three girls, hitting the dancer and nurse but missing the photographer. The crying and antagonizing only got worse after that.  
Further down the gym, Peko refused to hit Fuyuhiko despite being on opposite teams. The yakuza yelled at her to “just fucking do it,” but she refused since it was “against her purpose.” This excuse made Kuzuryu’s complexion that of a tomato with his tone getting increasingly louder. Thankfully, Hinata came and diffused the conflict. He also got an easy shot on the swordswoman. He also got Mioda to tag out Fuyuhiko.

Gundham eventually got Mahiru and began taking aim for the ultimate hope. Having almost every talent known to man, Hajime evaded his attacks easily. Akane also had her hands full with the energetic musician, leaving the two occupied. Souda, having made it this far, decided to take advantage of the situation. The mechanic set his sights on the princess, and it seemed like she did the same. From there, the two engaged in a friendly battle. Dodging each other’s attacks and other aimlessly flying balls, the two fought hard. There was nothing malicious about it either, quite friendly actually. Kazuichi taunted the girl and Sonia played along, giving her best evil laugh. It was a genuine interaction, and Souda liked the change of atmosphere. He also liked that the princess gave him an opening.

With Sonia distracted for a moment, Kazuichi threw the ball he had in hand, hitting the blonde teenager. Surprised, Sonia accepted defeat and congratulated Kazuichi before walking off the playing field. Souda gave a small laugh and returned to playing the game. However, a certain breeder had something else in mind for him.

Souda bent down to grab another ball, but when he looked up, he was not expecting a determined Tanaka standing in front of him taking aim. 

It all happened so fast. Kazuichi, being caught off guard, didn’t move out of Gundham’s way, officially making him the target. Gundham winded up at lightning speed and threw the ball directly at Kazuichi. All Souda saw was the ball quickly approaching his face.

And everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to take time to develop characters and their relationships in this chapter, so this chapter is longer than previous chapters. Also, I know that dodgeballs are not hard at all and could not knock a person out, but for story purposes they can, hence Gundham's intense throw.   
> Other than that small detail, I hope you guys enjoyed this bit of interaction between class 77!


	6. New beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm releasing this chapter a little later than usual, but I really wanted to get it out today since today is my birthday!! Also, thank you so much for all the support! I really wasn't expecting this story to get a lot of attention, so it is much appreciated :)

Kazuichi woke up to lights blinding his vision. Squinting, he focused on the ceiling above, trying to process what had happened. 

Oh, that’s right, Gundham pegged him in the face with a dodgeball, that’s why he’s here. So, with that logic, here is the nurse’s office. Kazuichi hadn’t been here often, but he had been often enough to be familiar with the place.

He was lying on a small bed near the back of the room. The walls were white with pink accents, and the floor was tiled. Cabinets filled with medication sat on the wall and a mini fridge filled with blood packets and ice packs was in the opposite corner. There were maybe nine other beds in the room, all vacant. The beds were made and in good condition, nothing else expected for an elite school. 

Souda sat up and rubbed his eyes. He hated falling asleep with his contacts in since they always felt like they were going to come out. He finished rubbing eyes, but he continued to hold onto his head. He had a massive headache from the lights along with being hit square in the face. He decided that he needed to grab medication to soothe the pain, so he removed his hand from his head and opened his eyes. However, the sight in front of him caught him off guard.

“Ah!” Kazuichi yelped as he jumped back on the bed he was residing. His hand now clutched his heart due to being frightened by the person sitting next to his bed. God, he was never going to catch a break today, was he?

“Hello, mortal, are you feeling alright?” Gundham asked, leaning towards the mechanic only slightly. 

“U-uh,” he stuttered out, his face flushing, “n-not really? I have a little bit of a headache and ya almost scared me half to death!” Tanaka backed up a little, getting the hint.

“I apologize, it was never my intention to startle you.” He said calmly. 

No matter how much he tried, Kazuichi could not calm his rapidly beating heart. Why had Tanaka come to see him? He’s the one who hit him in the face in the first place, so why was he here? Did he want to make fun of him, or did he want to apologize?

Reading the mechanic’s expression, the breeder answered the unspoken questions, “I came here to see how you were doing after I had knocked you unconscious. I also wanted to apologize for my heinous act, for it was never my intention. I hope that you can forgive my wrongdoing.”

Kazuichi stared at the dark-clad teen sitting in front of him in utter shock. He knew that Gundham was not devoid of compassion, he just never thought he would receive any after their “rivalry.” Souda knew he had to answer Tanaka, but he didn’t know what to say; the breeder had rendered him speechless.

“Tamer of Automations?” Gundham called out his title for Kazuichi as he waved his hand over the mechanic’s face. Shaking his head to snap out of his thoughts, he gave the breeder a reply.

“Sorry,” he said “thank ya for apologizing, I appreciate it. I mean, I don’t see why you’d purposely hit me in the face anyways, so it’s whatever.” He gave the breeder a smile, indicating that he was alright.

Gundham visibly relaxed when Souda forgave him - which Kazuichi never realized that the boy was tense in the first place - and he slowly inched towards him once again. Souda blushed at this action, but he did not make a point to move. Tanaka hadn’t really gotten close at all, but it was still closer than before.

“Since I have been forgiven, I was curious if you would like to ‘restart’ on our relationship, as one would say.” He looked at Kazuichi with what looked like nervousness, which threw off the mechanic immensely. The introverted, occult-loving breeder was anxious about making a new friend, and Kazuichi found it rather endearing. 

“Sure, I’d like to be your friend,” he said with a smile, “just as long as ya promise not to hit me in the face again with a ball.” Gundham’s expression shifted to that of confusion with the second part of the statement. “I was joking.” Souda deadpanned. It was truly the start of an odd friendship.

\--------------------------

When Kazuichi exited the nurse’s office, he felt buzzing from his phone. Curious, he reached into his pocket to check any messages he had received. At the top was a message from Hajime inviting Souda to his dorm to hang out. Kazuichi sighed, knowing he had missed a majority of the day. It technically wasn’t his fault, so it wasn’t a lot to stress about. With a new plan in mind, the mechanic went in the direction of his soul friend’s dorm. 

Kazuichi lightly knocked on the door, not wanting to disturb any neighboring students. The door swung open, Hajime being the one to answer. The ultimate hope moved aside to let the pink-haired teen in, and he saw that he wasn’t the only one to receive an invite. 

Inside sat Fuyuhiko, Chiaki, and Nagito, who were all surrounding the TV playing some video game involving racing. None of them took notice of the boy who had joined them, but Kazuichi didn’t mind. He took a seat at Hinata’s desk, now also facing the illuminated screen.

“Gosh, how long was I out?” He asked no one in particular.

“I would say about three hours.” Hajime responded, taking a seat next to Komaeda. Slowly, the lucky student’s head found its way to Hinata’s shoulder. Kazuichi cringed at the answer he had been given.

“That’s not as bad as I thought, but that’s still a long time.” Souda rubbed his temples, trying to rid himself of his lingering headache. “Did I miss anything important?”

“Not really, but I still collected the notes for you.”

“Thanks man, I appreciate it.”

“So what the fuck happened with you and Gundham?” Kuzuryu cut the exchange of conversation short. The smaller boy was now looking at the mechanic, the screen displaying the word finish in big bold letters.

“How do you know he came by?!” Kazuichi said in disbelief.

“You just told me.” The yakuza gave a sly smirk while the mechanic scowled. 

“Whatever, baby gangsta.”

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING-”

“Anyway, yeah, he came over and apologized for pegging me in the face and asked if we could be friends, nothing major.” Souda continued nonchalantly.

“Nothing major?” Hajime echoed. “The guy apologized AND asked to be friends in the same trip, that’s pretty major.” Both Hinata and Fuyuhiko stared at Souda in disbelief as he brushed over a big piece of information.

“I guess so,” the blushing mechanic said, “it’s a start to something I never thought would happen, so sure.”

“You’re hopeless.” Kuzuryu said, turning back to the screen. 

The conversation became more relaxed from there, but the statement was never forgotten. Hajime and Fuyuhiko shared a silent agreement that they would tease Kazuichi to no end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't exactly how I planned it to be, but future chapters will come out better. Once again, thank you guys so much for the support!


	7. Study sessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry about the wait! I had a very hectic week last week, but I'm back! I also apologize for the slow-moving story, but I'm grateful for the support. Enjoy this new installment!

It had been about a week since the dodgeball incident, but Fuyuhiko and Hajime would not leave Kazuichi alone. The day after the game, a few students asked if he was okay or teased him - mainly Saionji - but it was forgotten after that point. Forgotten by most people, that is. 

Hinata poked and prodded the mechanic every time he would conversate with Gundham, and Kuzuryu would ask how his “boyfriend” was doing. It had only been a week and Souda had grown tired of it. Usually Nanami or Pekoyama would be there to stop the boys, but today was not one of those days. 

Souda sat with Kuzuryu, Komaeda, and Hinata out in the courtyard working on their homework. The weather had been decent enough to sit outside, so that’s exactly what they did. However, Kazuichi really wished he rejected the offer to study at this particular point in time.

“Come on Souda, have you interacted with Tanaka any more?” The ultimate hope asked, his work long forgotten.

“Yeah, how’s your boyfriend, highlighter?” The yakuza said with a smug look on his face.

“Would you two cut it out already?” Kazuichi snarled. “It’s been a week and I’m already tired of the pestering. No, he’s not my boyfriend, and no, I haven’t talked to him. We’re just friends, like, new friends, so stop it.” Souda had reached his limit by this point. He joined them to study, not talk about his non-existent relationship with Gundham. His feelings were apparent to the teens by the look on his face, so they promptly ended their commentary.

“I personally think that Tanaka’s and Souda’s friendship is quite hopeful, and bringing the despair of it being nothing more is affecting him greatly.” Nagito chimed in.

“No one asked you, weirdo.” Fuyuhiko hissed.

“He isn’t weird, Kuzuryu.” Hajime shot back.

The mechanic sighed; he was glad that the conversation was off him, but he was done with his friends’ antics. 

“I’m going for a walk,” he stated, “text me if ya need anything.”

Without another word, Kazuichi stood up, gathered his stuff, and walked away. He didn’t know where he was walking to, all he knew was that it was away from the courtyard. Despite walking away from the study session, Souda did want to get more of his work done, and he preferred to not return to his room just yet. With that, he made his way to the library.

\--------------------------

The library was quiet, practically empty aside from a few people. As much as Kazuichi loved to work with blaring music, complete silence was not unwelcome. He sat at a table farther from the entrance and mostly secluded. On the table sat his homework in a neat pile, a folder full of notes, and a few pencils. He was currently focused on his English, trying to piece together the sentence in front of him. 

Souda was so immersed in his homework that he didn’t notice the person now sitting across from him. He continued to work diligently, not paying any mind to anything else occurring around him. That is until he heard a loud cough in his vicinity. 

The mechanic jumped in his chair, suppressing a scream. He flung his pencil to the person sitting across from him, not thinking of any potential consequences. Fortunately, the other person showed no reaction to the pencil bouncing off his head and instead spoke in a hushed voice.

“It is nice to see you as well, Tamer of Automations.” He spoke.

“Tanaka!” Souda exclaimed in the same hushed voice. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to throw my pencil! Are ya hurt?” Souda was now leaned over the table, the concern written all over his face. He hesitated to touch the breeder since he knew of his distaste for physical contact. He decided against it, retracting his hand.

“I assure you that I am alright, mortal,” Gundham said while handing the pencil back to Kazuichi, “I am actually quite fortunate to encounter you here, for I require your assistance.” This made Souda’s face turn a shade of pink. Tanaka never needed anything from him, let alone actually be happy to encounter the sharp-toothed mechanic. 

“Y-yeah? What’d ya need?” He spoke with a smile on his face. He was eager to help his crush, who wouldn’t be?

“Very well,” the dark-clad teen said, “I am having issues completing my work for mathematics. Do you believe that you are fit to aid the Overlord of Ice?” His tone sounded like forced confidence, his eyes reflecting the embarrassment he felt. This didn’t go unnoticed by the mechanic, but he didn’t make a point to bring it up either. Instead, he responded to the nervous teen.

“Sure, I’ll help ya, no problem.” He said, and Tanaka visibly relaxed.

\--------------------------

After an hour or two of studying, the boys abandoned their work and began talking to each other. Kazuichi had made sure that Gundham fully understood the material before putting the work away since he didn’t want the “tutoring” to go to waste. He had enjoyed helping the breeder, and it made him happy that he had actually listened, and that he wanted to stick around to hang out more. He missed longer interactions with Tanaka, so he took full advantage of the situation.

“Thank you for your assistance, sharp-toothed one,” Gundham said. Souda looked up from placing his folders into his bag to acknowledge the boy.

“Not a problem, Tanaka! I’m glad it was worth something.” He gave a big smile and continued organizing his bag. They sat in silence for a little, the only noise being the rustling papers. Tanaka watched as the mechanic carefully put away his items of study, curious of his behavior.

“Tamer of Automations,” he said, “why are you being incredibly careful placing your tools of study into your bookbag?” At this question, Kazuichi froze, a blush spreading across his face.

“I uh,” he gulped, “I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. I know a lot of people talk about it being all organization, but it’s really not. Yeah, I’m organized, but it’s cause if I had it any other way I’d lose my mind, you know? I have my stuff in my bag arranged in a specific way cause that’s how it must be for me.”

“I see,” the breeder spoke thoughtfully, “I am sorry if I have asked a very personal question.”

“No! No, you’re fine, man,” Souda spoke, waving his hands in front of him, “i-it’s a little embarrassing, is all.”

“I do not believe that you should be ashamed of your actions, but I understand where people may not understand your behavior.”

“Heh, thanks.”

Kazuichi finished putting away his notes after the small exchange and set his back aside. He twiddled his thumbs, thinking of what to say. He didn’t know how to continue the conversation, but he also didn’t want to sit in awkward silence.

“Hey,” he began, “you’re really not so bad to talk to. I don’t know why we ever had a rivalry, it was kinda stupid.” He gave a small giggle to his own remark. He looked to Gundham, who held a smirk on his face.

“Indeed, it was quite ridiculous,” the dark-clad teen said, “it is also ludicrous how the one who started this so-called ‘rivalry’ now finds it pointless.” He eyed the mechanic knowingly, waiting for a response.

“Well I mean yeah,” Souda spoke with a smile, “we both hated each other over a girl neither of us actually liked.” Kazuichi expected the breeder to continue the banter, but he instead saw that Gundham had a confused look on his face.

“Whatever do you mean? I do hold affections for the Dark Queen.” The pink-haired teen stopped laughing when Tanaka said this. Disappointment washed over him as he remembered one truth.

Gundham never faked his crush on Sonia like he had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I personally headcannon Kaz with having OCD, that's why it's there (obviously). It may not seem like OCD in the story, but I'm writing it based on my experience with having it. Anyway, that's about it! Thank you for reading :)


	8. Late night conversations

Kazuichi couldn’t sleep that night.

Sure, he knew that Gundham actually had a crush on Sonia, but it had honestly slipped his mind in that particular point in time. They were getting along so well at the library, but he just had to ruin it with his big mouth. Yes, he apologized for his comment, and yes, there was no arguing, but the rest of the visit became awkward and tense. Souda really wished he hadn’t messed it up, and he wished that he wasn’t thinking about it now. 

He didn’t know why he was still thinking about the specific interaction. Was he disappointed, perhaps? That was probably it, but he already knew Tanaka’s true feelings. In the grand scheme of things, it didn’t really matter, but he couldn’t help but be upset. 

He hated his feelings sometimes.

It was a relief that it was a Saturday the next day, so it didn’t matter how late the mechanic stayed up. He also figured since that there was no school tomorrow that his other classmates would be awake, specifically one of his friends.

With that thought in mind, Souda reached over to his phone sitting on his nightstand and pulled up his messages. Finding the person he wanted, he clicked on their icon and texted them.

“Hey, are you awake?” He messaged.

“Of course, you know I don’t sleep lmao,” they responded, “Why? What’s up?”

“I can’t sleep, like, at all.”

“Come to my dorm so we can talk about it. I know that you’re not restless over nothing.”

Having received an invite, Kazuichi tied back his hair, put on his glasses, slipped on some socks (because with how late it was he did not want to bother with shoes), and made his way to his friend’s dorm.

\--------------------------

“So, Leon said, “what’s bothering you?”

Leon Kuwata, the ultimate baseball star and first year student at Hope’s Peak Academy, was one of Kazuichi’s best friends. The pair had only met when Kuwata began attending the school, but they bonded quickly. They came to each other about everything, hence why Souda contacted him so late at night. That, and he knew that the baseball player had terrible sleeping patterns.

“Well,” Kazuichi began, “today, I met up with Gundham in the library. He needed help with math, so I helped him. Once we were finished, we talked about nothing in particular, and then the conversation landed on Sonia, and me and my big mouth slipped up and said that he was faking his crush on her too. And, uh, he looked at me funny and told me he never faked it, and I knew that, so I don’t know why I said it. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about it ever since, and I thought I should come to you about it.”

Leon nodded his head thoughtfully, taking in what he had been told. Kazuichi shifted in his spot on the bed, embarrassed by admitting his thoughts out loud.

“First of all, you’re such a disaster it hurts-” 

“Hey! I am not-”

“Are too. And second of all, I completely understand what you’re going through.” Leon now looked at the mechanic expectantly, hoping he would catch the hint.

Souda stared at Kuwata, trying to figure out why his friend would share the same experience. It took a few minutes before the mechanic’s eyes widened in realization.

“Oh! You mean with Naegi and Maizono?” He tilted his head. 

“Bingo!” He exclaimed, snapping his fingers and pointing finger guns in Kazuichi’s direction, “Naegi was so busy ogling at the pop star that I couldn’t get his attention. I mean, she’s cute and all, but not my type, y’know? He finally stopped, not sure why, but it sucked.”

“I still don’t see you going for Naegi,” Souda said with a smirk.

Leon shrugged, “It happens. Just like I couldn’t see you going for Tanaka.” Souda sighed at how correct his friend was.

“Touche,” he said, “but how did you deal with it? Did you try to get him to go for you instead?”

“What? Of course not! Please don’t tell me you were thinking of doing that.”

Kazuichi furiously shook his head. “No! I wouldn’t wanna do that to him, he’d hate me so much.”

“Good,” Leon said sharply, “you better not. But back to what I was saying, I didn’t mess with his feelings. Honestly, I didn’t do anything. He can like who he likes, he doesn’t have to like me. I want him to be happy, so I let him do his thing. Do you get what I mean?”

Souda nodded. He didn’t want to hurt Gundham in any way, so he figured it was the best option to leave him alone. Like Kuwata, he wanted his crush to be happy and do his own thing, but he didn’t know how to deal with his emotions. The pink-haired teen sighed, placing his head in his hands.

“You good dude?” Leon asked, prompting Souda to look up from his hands.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just,” he said, “it’s just that of course I want Tanaka to be happy, but I also don’t know what to do with my own feelings. Sure, he’ll be happy, which is great, but then what do I do with myself?”

“Kaz,” Kuwata said seriously, “I know you feel strongly for the guy, but it isn’t the end all, be all, you know? If he goes for Sonia, then that’ll suck, and you’ll feel unhappy, but don’t let it stop ya. Hell, I kept living when I found out Naegi tried confessing to Maizono. Yeah, I was upset and still liked the guy, but I didn’t let it get me down, so you can do the same.” He ended his speech with a small smile in an attempt to comfort his friend. It worked because Souda returned the smile, feeling much better than he had when he entered the dorm. 

“Thanks Leon, I appreciate it,” he said.

“No sweat man! I’m glad I could help,” the baseball star beamed. 

Having resolved his issue and cleared his thoughts, a wave of exhaustion hit Souda all at once. His eyes drooped and his body slouched. He gave a big yawn and stretched, making the decision to head back to his dorm. He exchanged good-byes with his friends and trudged to his room.

\--------------------------

Souda reflected one more time to what Leon had said before drifting off to sleep. 

It hurt to think that his feelings weren’t returned, but if Tanaka was happy, then so was he. Besides, a friendship was good enough for the mechanic, especially with their relationship previously.

With that last thought, Souda gave into his exhaustion.


	9. Feelings are complicated, aren't they?

Kazuichi continued life as normal. He attended classes, hung out with his friends, and worked on unfinished projects he had in the lab. Of course, he still held feelings for Gundham, but he didn’t let them become out of control due to Tanaka’s crush on Sonia. He didn’t resent the princess either since she had done nothing wrong, though he was a bit jealous, especially since Gundham usually came to Souda about his feelings for her.

“Tamer of Automations!” The breeder exclaimed as he approached Souda at breakfast.

“Ah! Oh, h-hey Tanaka, what’s up?” Souda asked, startled by the breeder’s sudden appearance. Being acknowledged, Tanaka took a seat across from the mechanic. He opened up a bag of sunflower seeds and set the contents on the table, letting his hamsters eat as they pleased. Souda watched silently, watching the care Tanaka put into looking out for his Devas. Kazuichi’s face turned pink as he smiled, admiring Gundham’s love for his animals. However, the breeder looking up at the mechanic made him snap out of his thoughts.

“I once again require your guidance with my affections for the She-Cat,” Tanaka said, “it seems that whenever I am near her, my heart feels like it may burst, and I am not sure how to handle this particular feeling.”

Souda could feel his heart break a little, his smile faltering. He obviously listened to Leon’s advice on not letting his unhappiness and jealousy stop him, but he couldn’t help but feel a little hurt. He took a deep breath to calm his thoughts and focus on helping his friend. Yes, he was jealous of Sonia, but he wasn’t going to be a bad friend to Tanaka.

“I completely get what ya mean, man,” Souda said, giving a small laugh, trying to calm his nerves.

“How would you know, pink-haired one?” The breeder stared at Kazuichi with a very confused look. Souda stared back with the same look on his face, not aware of what he had said. Once he realized, his face began to burn.

“I don’t! N-not at all! Wh-what are ya talking about?” Souda laughed nervously, the blush spreading to his ears. He scratched the back of his neck, looking anywhere other than Tanaka. 

“Are you all right, Tamer of Automations?” Gundham asked, watching the mechanic with concern.

“Yes! Everything’s fine,” Souda sputtered out, “anyway! S-so, what are ya gonna do about those feelings?”

Acting as if nothing had happened, Tanaka held his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, he looked back at the mechanic.

“I was hoping that you might hold the answer to that question, since I myself have considered every possibility.”  
“Really? Every possibility?” Souda looked unimpressed at Tanaka, giving him a look telling the breeder that he definitely did not run through every possibility.

“Yes, every possibility- why are you making that face?” 

“Cause ya didn’t consider every possibility.”

“Yes I have- oh.” Gundham’s eyes widened in realization. 

“Did ya realize-”

“Yes, I have, thank you,” Gundham said, a look of regret crossing his face, a small blush colonizing his cheeks. “I cannot possibly do that, pink-haired one. We are merely allies, nothing more.”

Kazuichi’s face became serious. He wondered how Tanaka could be so smart but so stupid at the same time.

“If you two are ‘merely allies,’ then why do you have a massive crush on her, Hamster-chan?”

“Hamster-chan? That is a preposterous nickname,” Gundham said, bringing a hand to his chest.

“That doesn’t matter; what matters is that you’re still a lovestruck idiot and yer not gonna do nothing about it.” Souda rolled his eyes at how Tanaka was being at the moment. Sure, he liked the breeder and wanted to be the one he had a crush on, but he also wanted to help him, and his willingness to assist his friend trumped his feelings.

Gundham sighed, placing his head in his hands, “I realize that a confession may be the ultimate solution to the current issue, however I do not believe that I am ready for such an event.”

“Do you wanna practice then?” The mechanic said without thinking. The outlandish comment was also caught by the man sitting across from him, for he shot up in his seat.

“Whatever do you mean, ‘practice?’” Gundham asked. Souda cleared his throat, his ears turning pink.

“Y-ya know, practice. On me, I guess?” Souda began, “I dunno, it’s stupid. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Gundham considered Kazuichi’s offer for a moment. The pink-haired teen gulped as the breeder did not break eye contact. After a minute or so, the dark-clad teen slowly nodded.

“Given the current predicament, that should suffice,” he said, “once classes have concluded at the end of today, we will convene at my room. Is this plan satisfactory?” In response, Kazuichi gave a sharp nod.

“Very well then,” Gundham stood up as the first bell rang, “I shall see you then, Tamer of Automations.”

“See ya, Hamster-chan.”


	10. Practice makes perfect

The pair sat in Gundham’s room in painful silence.

Kazuichi really hadn’t thought this plan through.

Once class had finished, Souda followed Tanaka to his room. The walk had also been in silence, which in turn made the situation more awkward than it already was. They sat a good distance from each other, with Kazuichi sitting on Gundham’s desk and the breeder residing on his bed with his Devas. 

Currently, Souda was fiddling with his braid and Tanaka was playing with his hamsters. About fifteen minutes had passed and nothing had been accomplished yet. Kazuichi knew he had to break the silence, but he didn’t know how. He did not know how to ease the tension, to make things more comfortable.

He really should’ve kept his mouth shut.

The two sat there for a few minutes more before the mechanic could not handle the heavy atmosphere any longer. He took a deep breath and began to speak.

“So,” he said, “how did ya want to confess to Sonia?”

“This was not my proposal, Tamer of Automations, hence why we are in this current situation,” Gundham spoke, his eyes never moving from the hamsters lying on his bed.

“Right,” Souda spoke defeatedly. He needed to think of something fast, or this would have all been for nothing.

He thought about typical confessions - grand gestures, gifts, a love letter - but they all sounded too out there for the dark-clad breeder. He figured it was better to stick to something simple yet effective - well, effective if the person returned the feelings. To show that he came to the perfect idea, he snapped his finger and looked at Gundham.

“I’ve got it,” he said with a determined glint in his eye, “why don’t ya just go up to her and tell her? I figured it’s better than anything else cause they’re too extra for ya. And obviously ya wouldn’t just approach her and tell her, no, ya gotta find the right place and time. 

Tanaka gave Souda a blank stare. The mechanic couldn’t tell what the breeder was thinking, but he knew that he definitely needed little to process what he had been told. The dark-clad teen breathed a deep sign and began rubbing his temples, breaking the staring contest the two were having.

“You fool, I could have conjured up that idea myself,” he spoke.

“I bet ya didn’t though,” Kazuichi responded with a smug grin on his face. The grumble he got in return confirmed that Tanaka had in fact not come up with that idea.  
“Fine, but what do you propose I do? I cannot simply mention my affections to the Dark Queen in a casual conversation.”

“Ever thought that you could just simply ask to talk to her like after class or something.”

“I suppose so,” Gundham said, deep in thought, “though, what would I tell the She-Cat? I believe that a plan is necessary before this is carried out.”

This stumped Souda. Yes, an in-person confession was perfect, but what he would say? Kazuichi wasn’t sure since he had never actually liked the princess romantically. Sure, he had plenty of crushes before, but he didn’t know specifically what Gundham should say. 

Without thinking, Kazuichi spoke, “Well, usually a confession comes from the heart, so you typically just say what you feel. Why don’t I show you?” He couldn’t catch himself, it had already said it out loud.

“Show me?” Gundham repeated, perplexed.

“L-like, show ya w-what would usually be said, ya know?” Souda stuttered out, “I-I’m not saying I’m confessing to ya o-or anything, I ju-just wanna show ya.” 

At this point, the mechanic was as red as a tomato. Sweat ran down his face and his sharp teeth showed a large, nervous smile. He wished he hadn’t completely messed everything up with what he had said. Surprisingly, Tanaka wasn’t bothered and didn’t question the mechanic’s current blushing state.

“If this is what you see fit, then I will cooperate,” Tanaka said calmly. Having agreed, he looked at Kazuichi expectantly, who in turn fidgeted in his seat. He really didn’t plan to fake a confession to Gundham, but here he was, faking a confession to Gundham Tanaka, his crush. 

He honestly thought that he was a hypocrite because he was trying to think of what to say. He wanted to plan it out word-for-word, but now he was being put on the spot by himself. 

It’s funny how he landed himself in situations like these.

He figured the best thing was to take his own advice and speak from the heart. Gundham didn’t know he had a crush on him, so he would think he was just faking it.

Right?

Well, if he thought he was being serious, then he’d deal with the consequences afterward.

“So I’m just gonna pretend like I’m confessing to you, cause it’d be super weird referring to you as Sonia, okay?” Kazuichi prayed that this would cover it up. And thankfully, it did, because Gundham gave a small nod in reply.

“Okay,” Souda said. Clearing his throat, he focused his attention to the breeder. He thought about everything he liked about him, from the funny way he talked to the care he devoted to his animals. He appreciated pretty much everything about the breeder, but he wanted to formulate it into words. Mustering up some courage, Kazuichi took a deep breath and began to speak.

“Tanaka,” he said, “I’ve been meaning to tell ya for a while now, but I like ya. Not in a friend way, either. And I know that we just became friends, but I couldn’t help getting feelings for ya. You're so kind and intelligent and passionate about what you do. Your determination to succeed is admirable and so is your confidence. I love how you’re so compassionate towards your animals, especially your Devas. And the way you talk and act is different, but endearing. I really like everything about ya, Hamster-chan, and I hope you can return my feelings.”

Souda was surprised that he managed to say all of that with a straight face. 

“Sorry that was kinda short; I couldn’t think of anything else to say,” he chuckled. He couldn’t tell if he was lying or not because, in all honesty, he probably had a lot more to say about the breeder. 

Gundham continued staring at the mechanic, who was now rubbing the back of his neck. He really hoped he didn’t mess anything up.

“You know,” Tanaka, “for a foolish mortal such as yourself, the impromptu confession was not terrible.”

“Hey! Who’re ya calling foolish?” Souda said defensively, and Tanaka only laughed.

“Excellent! Your guidance will help me produce the perfect confession for the Dark Queen.”

“Yeah, no problem, man,” Souda said, slightly disheartened. He realized that his confession was supposed to fake, but he meant every bit of it. He had also hoped that Tanaka believed every word, but that was only a wild fantasy.

“So,” he said, “when are ya gonna tell her?” This question threw off the breeder slightly, causing him to go silently. However, the silence did not last long, and Gundham quickly spoke up.

“I will profess my affections for the She-Cat at the end of this very week after our daily education has completed for the day.”

“Okay, sounds good,” Souda said, “you better not chicken out though.”

“I cannot become a chicken, Tamer of Automations.”

“I know, it was- whatever, just don’t mess it up or back out of telling her.”

“The Overlord of Ice sticks to his word.”

“Good,” Kazuichi said, “well, I’m going to my dorm. Text me if ya need anything. Later, Hamster-chan.” Kazuichi got up from his spot and made his way to the door.

“Souda,” Kazuichi froze at the use of his last name, “thank you for your assistance today, it is greatly appreciated.”

Not turning back to Gundham, Souda responded, “yeah, no sweat. Night Tanaka.”

Kazuichi left Gundham’s dorm and headed for his own, which was right next to the one he had just left. He slowly closed and locked the door behind him before leaning against the door. He slid down the wooden barrier, concealing his blushing face.

He really liked Gundham Tanaka.


End file.
